The Kids Are Not All Right
by candiceaccola
Summary: Caroline has broken up with Tyler and Stefan is free of Klaus' compulsion. Stefan wants to leave, his best friend at his side. But will Caroline agree? And if she does, what will happen while they're gone? -rating may change as story progresses
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I don't really know what this is. I just have a lot of Stefan/Caroline feelings that I need to get out and writing about them seems to be the best way to do that. I hope you like it :)  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I don't own any of the characters or anything.

Caroline sat on a stool in front of the bar at the Grill. She was still wearing the red dress from the disaster of a "homecoming" dance. The dance where hybrid chaos ensued and Tyler ended up injecting her with vervain and taking her home to sleep it out while her friends fought the bad guys. To say that she was beyond pissed would be an understatement, but the fight that resulted in hers and Tyler's breakup was what was really getting her down. She hung her head, wondering how everything had managed to go from being great one minute to absolutely shot to hell the next. That's how everything in her life seemed to go though, so she supposed she should be used to it by now. She lifted her glass to her lips and downed the remainder of the drink, wincing slightly as the liquor burned her throat. She set the glass down on the bar and waved the bartender over.

"I'll have another, please," she smiled at him. She watched as his brow furrowed and a look of confusion swept over his face.

"Can I see some ID please? Pretty sure you're not 21," he replied.

"Well then what were the first 3 drinks for, hmm?" she asked sweetly. She was about to see if she could flirt another drink out of him but gave up. She looked into his eyes and could feel his mind and as she spoke her pupils dilated, "You will give me as many more drinks as I ask for without question, understand?" She watched him seem to go into the trance that people always did whenever they were compelled, a short moment of confusion. But then he smiled and refilled her drink for her, and then returned to the job he was doing. Caroline lifted the glass to her lips, taking another large mouthful. She didn't look up when the stool moved next to her and someone sat down.

"I didn't take you for a loner drinker," said a familiar voice. Caroline looked over at her friend, well she wouldn't exactly call him her friend anymore, he wasn't the same person.

"What do you want, Stefan?" she asked, not wanting to bother with flirty banter.  
>"Just came to check up on my BFF. Seeing as we seem to have forgotten each other's existence recently," he shrugged, waving down the bartender and ordering a whiskey with an attitude that any normal person wouldn't argue with. Caroline sighed in frustration. Not fair. He was only "17" and he didn't have to compel anyone to get what he wanted.<p>

"Yeah well, you haven't exactly been the best company lately," she replied bitterly.

"I understand," he smiled at her. "It doesn't bother me that you seem to have deemed me a lost cause."

"I don't think you're a lost cause, Stefan."

"Oh so you're holding out hope that I'll make a miraculous recovery even though the odds are stacked against it?"

"I think the real you is still in there somewhere," she admitted. "Even if you have been compelled by the big bad Klaus."

"Well I'm not compelled by him anymore," he said smugly. Caroline's mouth popped open in shock and she fought to gain composure. He wasn't compelled anymore? Since when! And if it was true then why was he still acting like a total jerk?

"Really? Then why are you still acting like a complete ass?" she asked.

"I haven't turned my humanity back on, Caroline. I'm just not under Klaus' control anymore."

"Oh."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot," she said, downing the rest of her drink and waving the bartender down again, pointing at her empty glass.

"Why are you here drowning your sorrows like you've just been dumped?"

"Because I've just been dumped," she shrugged. "Well, technically I did the dumping, but it still hurts."

"What happened?"

"Tyler knocked me out and took me home tonight instead of letting me help my friends. He thought it was too dangerous for me to be there and he decided I wasn't strong enough to help."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Plus he's been acting like the _old _Tyler ever since Klaus turned him into a hybrid. Ugh."

"I would have let you stay and fight. I know you can look after yourself," he admitted.

"Yeah well you, unlike him, obviously, actually know me and know what I want. Why am I telling you this, anyway?"

"Because you're my best friend." This caught her attention. She'd never heard him refer to her as that before, and if he still had his humanity the comment might have warmed her heart a little.

"Some best friend I am," she said, cradling her head in her hands. "I didn't even try to look for you after you left," she whispered quietly, though she knew Stefan would be able to hear her.

"You must have known I'd come back to you on my own," he said, grabbing her wrist gently and tugging it, trying to pull it away from her face.

"Stop it," she said softly, though she didn't mean it at all. He reached up and grabbed her other wrist too, and she gave up, letting him pull them away from her face gently. He watched as her eyes filled with tears and spilled over. He thought he should probably feel sad or… something, for the crying girl in front of him, but he felt nothing. But instead of acting like the ass he had been the past few months, he stood up, stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around Caroline, rubbing her back as she sobbed onto his chest.

"It's okay," he soothed. "I'm here now. I'm not going to leave you."

"Leave me? What about Elena?" she asked, burying her face into his shirt. She was probably making it all gross, what with her tears and mascara. She vowed she would buy him a new one later.

"Elena has Damon. If she ever needs me I'll come back when she asks," he said, simple as that. He knew that after everything he'd done, he could never be the same Stefan that Elena had fallen in love with. He was far too damaged now, and if he ever let his humanity back in he knew the guilt of all the things he had done would eat him alive. He would always love Elena, but things just couldn't go back to the way they were. And he knew that Elena would see that. He was being the better man, by letting Elena live her life with Damon. He could protect her, and make her happy, and that was all that Stefan needed to know that she would be okay. His plan was to leave Mystic Falls and start new, travelling, he had decided earlier. He was just hoping that the girl he claimed as his best friend, the one sobbing onto his shirt, would come with him.

Caroline didn't respond to his short explanation, she just continued crying. That was the thing with Caroline, once she let herself cry it was very difficult to rein it in again, which is why she often held it in until she was alone and she didn't have anybody to stop for.

"Will you come with me?" he asked quietly. A part of him didn't want to hear her answer. He wasn't afraid, as such, but he didn't want her to say no. He didn't want to be alone for the rest of his life. That would be boring.

"Come where?" she asked, lifting her head from its place on his chest and looking at him, confused.

"Everywhere. Let's leave Mystic Falls," he said, his voice slightly louder.

"Why me? What about everyone here?" she asked. He sighed, he knew that she would ask a lot of questions but he wished he could just fast forward this part and be on their way, his best friend by his side.

"Because you're the only person that has any shot at forgiving me," he explained, and noticed Caroline about to protest. "I mean really forgive me. And try not to make me turn my humanity back on. Because you understand how unbearable that would be for me." Caroline wanted to protest, she wanted to tell him that she would only go if he turned it back on. She wanted the Stefan back that could feel. But she understood. She knew the kind of guilt that he would be facing if he ever felt again. The guilt that came with taking someone's life because of what you were. Multiply that by a lot, and you had Stefan's guilt. She nodded slowly.

"I won't make you do it," she said, and she was telling the truth. "I need to pack some stuff."

"You'll come with me?" he asked, helping her stand. She had evidently had quite a few drinks before he had arrived as she swayed slightly, holding onto his arm for support.

"Of course I'll come with you." And with that he took her home, she packed her things, and they left without a word to anybody.


	2. Chapter 2

Caroline woke up a few hours later sprawled out on the back seat of a very nice car. She sat up slightly, spotting Stefan sitting lazily in the passenger seat, his elbow propped up against the edge of the window, his hand sitting in his hair. A small frown appeared on her face. If Stefan was in the passenger seat then who was driving? Without looking over at her, Stefan suddenly spoke up.

"Glad you finally decided to join us, Caroline," he said.

"How long was I out?" she asked groggily, eyeing the back of the driver's head.

"Well you fell asleep as soon as you got in the car and we've been driving for about for hours now, so."

"Did you know you snore, Caroline?" asked a very familiar voice. Elena? No, this version was a lot more snarky and Elena was definitely back home where they had left her.

"Katherine?" she groaned. "What the hell, Stefan?"

"Hey, easy," he chided. "She's giving us a ride."

"Oh come on Stef, be a little more appreciative," said the doppelganger.

"Yeah, yeah," he retorted. "Oh. I guess I should ask you something, Caroline, before we get any further."

"What?" she rubbed her eyes and sat up in her seat, they were winding through some hills and she could see the sparkling lights of a city far below.

"I'm going to do something that will get Klaus very angry, and if you decide you still want to come with me, then you'll inevitably be in danger by association," he shrugged, as if what he had told her was no big deal.

"And if I decide I want to go home?"

"Well then Katherine here will let you out now and you can find your own way home, I'm sure," he smiled pleasantly at her. Caroline felt the car slow down, as if to prove a point that they really would dump her on some random hill in the middle of nowhere, a four-hour drive away from her home. She thought about what her life would be like running away from Klaus, and she decided it probably wouldn't make much difference. After all, she had already agreed to run away with her best friend who couldn't feel anything, why not anger the most powerful vampire-werewolf hybrid to ever exist?

"I'll stay. What are you going to do?" Stefan smiled, as if he already knew she would stay with him.

"Well. I stole his family."

"You what? Rebekah?" she asked, her voice rising. She did not want to spend an eternity running away from Klaus with Stefan and Rebekah, that much she knew. They had a thing once!

"No, not Rebekah. Elijah and whoever else he has tucked away in those weird coffins he carries everywhere," he explained. Caroline relaxed a little at this news. He stole the dead Originals, not Rebekah. Good. And then suddenly it hit her. _He stole Klaus' family._ Her breathing sped up a little and she fought to keep it under control. This was just about the worst thing Stefan could possibly do to Klaus. But it wasn't like Klaus hadn't done the worst thing he could to Stefan. Stefan lost everything because of him. Well, almost everything.

"And why are you doing this?" she said, her panic showing through when she spoke.

Katherine spoke up suddenly, having stayed quiet this whole time. "If Klaus had ruined your entire life, would you be mad, Caroline? Would you want him to feel just as bad as you felt?" Caroline had the feeling that this little revenge trip wasn't just for Stefan's benefit. Katherine's entire life had been spent evading Klaus.

"I guess I would," she admitted.

"Great. It's settled, then!" Stefan smiled widely, shifting in his seat to make himself comfortable. Caroline sighed dramatically, and leaned back, settling in for the rest of what she assumed would be a very entertaining car ride.

**-x-  
><strong>  
>Caroline must have fallen asleep again because she woke up in a motel room with neither Stefan or Katherine anywhere in sight. It was also daylight now, and she wondered where the hell she was. She climbed off the bed that Stefan must have dumped her on, and made her way over to a small wooden desk in the corner. The notepad sitting on it said that they were somewhere in Springfield, Illinois. Great.<p>

She looked around the small room, noticing that there was only one bed. And hers and Stefan's bags sat in a pile by the door. Deciding she was in desperate need of a shower, she made her way over to her bag and grabbed the things she'd need. Kicking off her shoes, she padded over to the bathroom, setting her things down on the counter. She turned on the shower and went back to the mirror, examining her face.

"Gross," she said to her reflection. Running her fingers through her hair, she was met with many knots, and decided to just brush it. It'd make it easier to wash that way. When the room was filled with steam, she shed her clothing and stuck her hand under the spray, adjusting the temperature accordingly. She showered quickly, not wanting to be caught in her towel by Stefan. That would be awkward.

But unfortunately all her efforts were in vain. She emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, wrapped in a small towel (the only towel the motel had given them) only to find a smug looking Stefan lounging on the only bed.

"You look great," he commented, his eyes roaming up and down her body, lingering on her legs.

"I didn't realise that being a ripper gave you the right to openly check me out," she snapped. She walked quickly over to her bag, gathering her pyjamas in her arms and mentally cursing herself for not grabbing them before she got in the shower.

"Of course it does, Caroline. It's okay though, I've always wondered what you look like naked," she heard him call from the other room. She made a disgusted sound, and dressed quickly, drying her hair as best she could and then tying it in a bun on top of her head.

"Well unfortunately, you'll never get to know," she called back.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that! We have all of eternity to kill." She wanted to kill him. How dare he insinuate that just because they'd be spending the rest of their lives together that it automatically meant they would be sleeping together?

"Don't hold your breath, sweetheart," she said pleasantly.

"Wouldn't make a difference if I did," he mumbled, though she heard it anyway.

Once she was presentable she made her way back into the room, and sat herself down on the edge of the bed.

"So where have you been? Where's Katherine?" she asked. Stefan rolled his eyes and fell back onto the bed. He threw his arm over his face and sighed dramatically.

"Is this what I'm in for, for the rest of eternity? You nagging me about where I've been and with who?" Caroline scowled at him.

"I thought it was a pretty reasonable question, actually," she retorted. "Looks to me like you're in for an eternity of arguing."

"Excellent." She rolled her eyes at him and began picking at a loose thread on the cover on the bed.

"I was hiding the coffins. And Katherine went… somewhere. Who knows? We won't be seeing her again," he said almost politely.

"See. Was that so hard?" she teased.

"Yes. It was in fact, excruciating. Please never make me do it again."

"Whatever, drama queen."

She moved to sit against the pillows, grabbing the TV controller on the nightstand, she switched on some random soap opera and sat back. Stefan groaned and rolled over, grabbing a pillow and holding it over his head.

And as she sat next to him, she realised that this would probably be the way they spent most of their nights. Sitting on the same bed watching TV while Stefan pretended to hate it and Caroline teased him for secretly enjoying it.

And she was okay with that.

**A/N:** Hope you guys liked it :) I'm having fun writing it. Please review it if you would like me to continue!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter is kind of all over the place. But I promise it gets better. I have 2 more chapters after this that I'm working on and then of course there'll be more to come. Sorry it took me so long to update. Please review if you want me to continue! I hope you enjoy it :)**

The first time Caroline arrived home from a shopping trip and found Stefan lying on the couch surrounded by a bunch of half naked, bleeding girls, she almost lost it. She almost compelled them to leave and she almost yelled at Stefan about it.

But she knew this was who he was now, and she pressed her lips together, forcing herself to turn away and go to their room. She sat down on her bed, listening to the groans of the girls slowly being drained of their blood. They only felt pleasure, Stefan had compelled them to enjoy it and not to scream or run.

That was until she heard him announce his boredom, and suddenly the house was filled with the screams and sounds of their violent deaths.

Caroline emerged a mere 2 minutes later when everything was silent and found Stefan completely clean, not a drop of blood on him. She couldn't say the same for the house. It took her weeks to try and get the blood off the walls and out of the carpet, but even then she couldn't get it all.

When they eventually left, Caroline lit the house on fire, destroying any and all evidence that they had ever been there.

**-x-**

They went to London next, Caroline's request. Caroline joked about meeting the Queen and Stefan joked about eating the Queen. Though Caroline hoped he was joking, she wasn't entirely sure.

"I want to take you to Italy someday," he told her one day during lunch. They were dining at a fancy restaurant; it was something they did often, even though they had no need to eat real food.

"Why Italy?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity. Stefan would never admit it, but he loved it when she did that.

"Because my family originated there," he explained. "Salvatore," he said, as if it was obvious, and gestured to his daylight ring.

"Right," she nodded. It was obvious. And it also explained why he was so good in the kitchen. Stefan occasionally cooked for her, and she was sure if she was still human she would have been blown away by it. His cooking could make any girl fall in love with him.

"So is that okay? Italy after London?" he asked.

"I'd love to go to Italy with you," she agreed.

He didn't really care what she wanted to do, but it was easier for her if he pretended that he did. Instead of telling her what they were doing he would ask, because he found that when he made demands all he ended up with was a grumpy Caroline. When he asked she was much more willing to go along with what he wanted to do.

"I like London," she told him after a moment of silence. "Their accents are… wow." Stefan nodded his agreement; he liked London too, but for slightly different reasons than Caroline.

"Yes, I've found London to have quite a nice taste," he said with a wink. Caroline was shocked, she didn't know why. He did this a lot. He made comments that constantly reminded her who she was with. But she hid her shock and instead rolled her eyes at him. "You should try it sometime," he suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"No thank you," she replied politely. "I'll just stick with my pre packaged food."

She wasn't on the bunny diet, she hadn't been for a very long time, but she didn't kill or hurt people for food. She had been to the blood bank just yesterday and stolen a good amount of blood. She had tried to get Stefan to drink it instead of straight from the source but he always replied with the same sentence.

"I prefer mine at 98.6. Thank you, though, Caroline."

Caroline would never admit it to anybody, but this Stefan was really wearing her down. She would often cry at night, once she was sure he had drifted off to sleep.

He didn't know it but seeing him like this hurt her more than anything had in her life. It hurt her more than being killed and turned into a monster, it hurt her more than her own mother hating her, it hurt her more than Tyler and Matt betraying her, and it hurt her more than her own father torturing her.

She didn't know why, but seeing Stefan this way was killing her. Sometimes she wondered if what she felt towards Stefan was normal. This overwhelming protectiveness and possessiveness that only he evoked in her.

**-x-**

Caroline was shopping in London the day before they had planned to leave. She had just spent around £500 in a clothing store. Stefan had limitless amounts of money, so she could spend as much as she wanted whenever she wanted. She was coming out of the store, her hands filled with shopping bags when she walked into someone she had never wanted to see again. She froze, dropping her bags in her shock.

"Oh my God," she breathed.

"Hello, love," Klaus replied, smiling wickedly at Caroline. Her mind went straight to Stefan, trying desperately to remember where he said he was going to be today. If she could somehow warn him then he would be able to get away and Klaus wouldn't kill him.

He would be safe.

Caroline had to stop herself from crying out in pain when Klaus grabbed her wrist tightly and walked quickly down the street away from the crowds of people.

When they were away from the public, Klaus swung his arm out, hitting her hard in the head and knocking her out. He picked her up, put her over his shoulder and carried her away at inhuman speed.

**-x-**

Caroline awoke a few hours later in a room she didn't recognise. Klaus was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room watching her. She lifted her hand to her face to rub her eyes, and that's when she noticed her daylight ring was missing.

"Where's my ring?" she asked, her voice alarmed.

"You won't be needing that while you're here sweetheart," he said, gesturing to the window with sunlight streaming in. "That'd make it far too easy for you to run back to your boyfriend."

"Stefan's not my boyfriend," she said defensively. "And you're not going to find him."

"Is that so?" he asked with a smile. "Because I think I will. I have around… ooh, thirty of my hybrids out looking for him. I'm sure they'll come across him sooner or later."

"Please just leave him alone. Kill me instead," she begged. She would gladly die for Stefan, he deserved to live more than she did. She couldn't let him die before he finally found himself again. He deserved a happy ending.

"Do you know where he hid my family, dear Caroline?" Klaus asked, suddenly in front of her.

"I…" she trailed off. She didn't know. Stefan had never told her. And if it was his family that he was after, then Klaus would need Stefan to find out.

"That's what I thought," the hybrid said, leaning back a little. "I would love to kill you in exchange for Stefan, but I'm afraid I need him." Caroline sighed heavily and slumped against the wall behind her. She was going to die here and she couldn't even save Stefan from the same fate.

**-x-  
><strong>  
>Stefan arrived back at his and Caroline's hotel room well after 3am. It was empty when he got there, which was unusual. Caroline was always home before midnight, and if she wasn't going to be then she would tell him. That was how they knew they were okay. Stefan searched the room at inhuman speed, punching a hole in the nearest wall when he didn't find her.<p>

"Caroline!" he yelled. He didn't know what had happened to her, but he was going to find her. Nobody took his girl away from him.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **I hope you enjoy this chapter! Review if you want me to continue :)

To say that Stefan was furious would be an understatement. He didn't feel any particular emotional attachment for Caroline, but she was his and nobody was allowed to change that. The first night she was missing he spent the whole night searching for her. He couldn't find her anywhere, much to his disappointment. 

The second night was when he started getting really mad. He trashed their hotel room out of pure frustration.

While all this was going on, Klaus' hybrids were also searching for Stefan. It was a miracle, really, that they hadn't found him yet. Klaus knew that it was only a matter of time, especially since Stefan was oblivious to the danger that he was in.

**-x-**

It was day four and Caroline was slowly growing weaker. She hadn't had any blood since she had arrived, and it wasn't because Klaus was denying her the very thing she needed to survive, no. It was because every day before 8am, Klaus would bring someone to her. Usually a young girl, always looking very frightened and confused. She had ignored it, refusing to do the very thing Klaus wanted to do. Caroline had sworn that she would never hurt another human again, not if she could help it. But since Klaus was refusing to give her blood from a blood bank, she was starving, and Klaus was enjoying watching her struggle. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break. She would die before she fed from a human. If anything had stayed intensified during her time as a vampire, it was her strength. 

One night Caroline was drifting into sleep, if you would even call it that. Since Klaus had taken her, her sleep was plagued with nightmares of Klaus killing her and Stefan together. The worst one would have to be when Klaus made her watch him rip Stefan to shreds in front of her eyes. She didn't sleep for a long time after that, despite being more tired than she had ever been in her life.

Her sleep was interrupted by a loud clang coming from outside the door. Cursing. And another bang was heard before the door was kicked open, revealing an angry looking Stefan on the other side. Relief flooded Caroline's whole body. Finally this would all be over. They would get out of this place and run away, never having to see Klaus or his hybrids again. Stefan ran to her, briefly noting how awful and weak she looked. He would get her some blood as soon as they got out of here. He grabbed her ring from its place in the sunlight and slid it onto her finger. He took her gently into his arms and lifted her. She let her head rest on his chest as she clung to his neck, desperate not to fall. He froze as he turned to leave, his grip tightening on Caroline in his arms.

"And what do you think you're doing?" the British accent came from the doorway.

"Taking back what belongs to me," Stefan shot back.

"I don't think that's going to happen," Klaus said, moving into the room and shutting the door behind him. "You see, you have something… A few something's, actually, that belong to me. And I want them back."

"You can't have them back," Stefan said angrily. Since he had left Mystic Falls, only two things mattered to him; having Caroline by his side and getting revenge on Klaus. And in the state he was in now he had no idea what meant more to him.

"Here's the deal, mister Salvatore," Klaus said calmly as he made his way over to Stefan. Klaus' arm swung out, hitting Stefan in the head, causing him to stumble sideways and lose his grip on Caroline. She fell to the floor with a thud, and when he glanced down to see if she was okay, her eyes were shut and she wasn't moving.

"Caroline," he said before trying to go to her, but suddenly Klaus was in front of him.

"You give me those coffins back within the next 12 hours, or she dies. Do you understand me?" Klaus said, his voice angrier than Stefan had ever heard. Stefan swallowed, glancing down to the helpless blonde girl on the floor, and back up to the seething hybrid in front of him. And before Klaus could do anything else to Stefan, he fled the room at inhuman speed, leaving the door open in his wake.

**-x-**

An hour later he found himself pacing the trashed hotel room. He was running out of time, and the pressure to make a decision was weighing on him. He didn't know what to do. If he gave Klaus the coffins back and saved Caroline's life, it didn't necessarily mean he would live or he would get her back. If he let her die… No. He couldn't think about that. The thought didn't cause him pain, as such. All he felt was an uncomfortable sort of niggling near his heart, and quickly shook his head to get rid of the thought. If he gave Klaus the coffins back, then what was the point? He would never have the satisfaction of destroying the monster that ruined his life. That took everything from him that ever mattered. And now he was left with nothing. Nothing except revenge and the blonde ray of sunshine that accompanied him wherever he went.

So what was it going to be? An eternity alone and revenge on the hybrid that ruined everything? Or no revenge, but having someone that would always be there for him?

Stefan didn't know. All he knew was he had to think fast, or the choice wouldn't be his.


	5. Chapter 5

Stefan had five minutes before he was meant to be delivering the coffins to Klaus' doorstep and saving Caroline's life. He was pushing it, cutting it so close to the twelve hour mark, and he was sure he was making Klaus sweat. After all, he was the unpredictable ripper Stefan now. Feelings weren't a part of it. So surely Klaus was wondering if he was actually going to get his family back or if he'd be killing an innocent girl.

Stefan knocked on the door lightly, a smug smile appearing on his face when Klaus opened the door.

"Stefan," he greeted him, motioning for him to come inside. Stefan walked in slowly and saw Caroline slumped against the wall on the opposite side of the room. He had the overwhelming urge to go to her and find out if she was okay, but his common sense kept him grounded.

Stefan kept his eyes trained on the hybrid as he strolled over to Stefan so casually it made him want to stake him right there, even if it wouldn't kill him.

"What's it going to be, Stefan?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest. "Your little pet or your revenge? Which I must remind you won't turn out well, even if you do choose the latter."

Stefan didn't reply, his stance defensive as he avoided the question. The truth was, he hadn't decided. He had the coffins ready to go if he did decide to hand them over, but right now he still wasn't sure.

He whirled around when he heard a pained gasp leave Caroline's lips, and found Klaus suddenly in the corner holding her up against the wall by the throat.

A fierce growl ripped through Stefan's body, and he found himself flinging the hybrid across the room, his body now shielding Caroline's.

"Do not touch her," he growled. A laugh left Klaus' lips and Stefan backed up, making sure he couldn't get to Caroline.

"You can have the coffins," he spat out, looking Klaus straight in the eye. A smile appeared on the hybrid's face, realising his victory. "If," Stefan said, a small smile of his own appearing as the hybrid faltered. "If you let Caroline and I go and never look for us again. Let us live out our eternity together, and you can have the damned coffins."

Klaus paused as he seemed to consider Stefan's bargain for a moment. He hadn't been planning on letting Stefan live, but if it was the only way to get back the things he valued most, it didn't seem like a large price to pay.

"Fine," he agreed as he walked forward to shake Stefan's hand. "Like I said before, let bygones be bygones." Stefan relaxed his stance ever so slightly, adjusting his posture so he could shake his hand.

"They're in a crate 10 minutes from here. I'm sure your hybrids will know exactly where it is if they've been searching the area for me," he spoke quickly, his voice rough.

"Thank you," Klaus replied, moving to walk out of the room. "You two stay here while I go fetch my family, and when I get back, I'll let you go." And with that he left the room, shutting the door behind him. Stefan immediately turned around to face Caroline. She was on the floor, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Caroline?" he whispered as he bent down next to her. He took her face in his hands and tried to get her to look at him.

"Stefan?" she asked, her voice was weak and husky, an indication of just how weak she really was right now. He nodded, and pushed the hair out of her face.

"You're okay. I'm going to get you out of here, alright?" he told her, his hands stroking her face as he tried to keep her alert. His stomach sank as he realised just how sick she was. She needed blood straight away, and he silently hoped that Klaus would get back quickly. Otherwise, he feared that Klaus wouldn't have needed to kill Caroline himself.

**-x-**

An hour later Klaus appeared in the doorway, accompanied by his hybrids carrying what looked to be like the coffins. Stefan was seated against the wall, Caroline's head in his lap as she slept. He rubbed circles into her back, hoping in vain that it would keep her alive a little longer.

"You are free to go, Stefan. Take the girl and leave before I change my mind," Klaus said, moving into the room.

Stefan wasted no time in gathering Caroline into his arms and fleeing the room at vampire speed. They arrived at the hotel moments later, where Stefan lay Caroline down on the bed, careful not to hurt her. She didn't look good at all, and Stefan knew he had to get her blood right now. He went to the fridge and gathered a lot of blood bags into his arms, and was back by her side in a flash.

"Caroline," he said gently, shaking her to wake her up. Her eyes cracked open and a small smile appeared on her face when she saw him. He tore the top off the blood bag and brought it to her lips. He encouraged her to drink, and as he did he noticed the wounds on her body that he hadn't before. But now they were healing, the blood Caroline was drinking closing up the wounds before his eyes. She finished the first bag quickly, and he tore off the top of the second one, bringing it to her lips for her again. After the fifth bag she was sitting up looking a lot better, and she was drinking from the bags herself. He knelt on the floor next to the bed, his hand resting on her knee as he watched her seem to come to life before his eyes. She sighed in content and placed the empty blood bag next to her on the bed, and then she looked at Stefan.

"Thank you for saving me," she said, but she didn't smile. Stefan nodded formally, removing his hand from her knee.

"You're welcome," he said, and coughed to clear the sudden obstruction in his throat. What was wrong with him?

"Why did you do it?" she whispered, her eyes downcast. She was playing with the daylight ring on her finger, remembering how Stefan had placed it there.

"I don't know," he told her honestly. He really didn't. He was sure that he would end up picking revenge. After all, Klaus deserved it. He deserved to be destroyed. He had taken everything from Stefan. Everything that had ever mattered. Stefan would never be able to go back to Mystic Falls. And it was all because of that hybrid dick. If he could feel he was sure he would be filled with rage over what he had done to him. But he hadn't chosen to get even. No. He had chosen the bright, happy, warm girl sitting in front of him. "I couldn't let that monster kill my sidekick," he said, forcing himself to smile.

"Okay," she said, letting the subject drop. She didn't understand his reasoning. And she wasn't going to think about it. She was just going to carry on as if nothing had happened this past week. Because if she allowed herself to think about it, she would come to the conclusion that Stefan could feel. And then she would have to save him from himself. It was as simple as that.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter has been my favourite to write so far. I'm going to write more so I hope you guys like this as much as I do.**

It was raining when she finally found him. He was in an alleyway, hunched over the person he had just killed. Their blood was running down his chin, and his eyes were still red, the veins surrounding them.

"Stefan," she whispered, not wanting to startle him. But she needed to get this out. He stood up when she said his name, his features returning to normal.

"What?" he snapped at her, and she flinched, taking a step back. She watched as he wiped the blood from his chin using the back of his hand. He ran his other hand through his hair. She blinked as the heavy rain pelted her face and soaked her hair and clothes. A small voice in her head told her she should have brought an umbrella. But that really wasn't important right now.

"I can't do this anymore," she said quietly. Her eyes started to fill with tears. Over the past few months she had watched him lose himself more and more. He had killed countless people and she just couldn't take it anymore. She needed to go home and forget about him. She couldn't live with this Stefan forever, she wasn't strong enough. He needed someone better than her.

"Do what?" he asked, his voice not as harsh as before. He stepped closer to her so he could see her face, and he didn't like what he found there. He knew Caroline was struggling, but he thought after a while she would get used to the new him, come to appreciate it and maybe even join him in his new lifestyle.

"I can't be here anymore. I need to go home," she told him, her vision clouding as her eyes filled with tears that she refused to let spill. He couldn't see her cry.

"I thought you were going to stay with me forever," he replied. Stefan hadn't told Caroline, but he had turned his humanity back on the second he was freed from Klaus' compulsion. Stefan killed and hurt people because the blood helped to numb the overwhelming pain he was feeling. It was the only way he could cope. He was so afraid. He was afraid of losing Caroline, of driving her away. And that was exactly what he was doing now. He was scared of being alone. He was scared that if he let himself feel completely, that if he stopped killing and drinking human blood, then he would surely die. The pain and guilt would surely kill him.

"I know I said that," she whispered, "but I can't see you like this anymore. I can't do it anymore, Stefan." The tears were flowing freely now, but it was hard to tell, the rain washed them away as quickly as they appeared.

"You can't go," he said, his voice taking on a desperate edge. He stepped closer and grabbed her hand. "Please don't leave me. I need you." It was if a rusty knife had found it's way into Stefan's heart. The sharp pain in his chest was trying to claw itself free, but Stefan kept it buried. He wasn't breathing.

"Stefan…" she trailed off. She looked into his eyes and saw something she hadn't seen there in a long time. For months all she had seen was the empty, neutral look in his eyes. She had never seen any emotion. But now she could see sadness. But it wasn't just sadness, it was agony. Her breath caught in her throat and she threw herself into his arms, wanting to take away all of the pain.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. "I'm so sorry." Large sobs wracked his body as he held her, and she clung to him as tight as she could, determined not to let her own grief and pain take over.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It's going to be okay." She didn't know what else to say. She held him for what felt like hours while he cried. By the time he had stopped apologising and pulled back to look at her, her own eyes were bloodshot from her tears. "Let's go home, okay?" she spoke gently and took his hand in hers.

They walked back to their apartment slowly, it was still raining heavily but the pair had long forgotten it now. Caroline didn't let go of his hand as they opened the door and turned the light on. She led him around with her as she shut curtains and turned the heating on. She got a towel and then took him to his room where she helped him take his shirt off, and then dried his hair and face.

He only stood there while she did all of this, watching her. She was beautiful, even when she had been crying and standing in the rain for hours. Her hair clung to her face and forehead and as it dried it was slowly curling. He clothes clung to her body and if he was being honest with himself, he had never seen anything sexier in his life.

"Take your jeans and shoes off," she commanded, handing him a towel. "And wrap yourself in this when you're done." She turned her back, not leaving the room while he got undressed. She was scared of leaving him alone. Now that he had finally let some of the pain in, she was scared that she was going to lose him. If she left him alone for just one second, she could lose him forever.

"I'm done," he said, his voice was low and quiet. She could tell he was tired. She just wanted to put him in the shower and then get him into bed, but she couldn't do that without leaving him alone. She turned around and smiled a small smile for him.

"Why are you here?" he asked her. She paused, the smile slipping from her face.

"Because I care about you," she replied.

"Why? I'm so broken, Caroline. I'm a lost cause." He sat down on the end of his bed, his head cradled in his hands. She hated seeing him like this. He was her life now, whether she liked it or not. And even though she had planned on returning to Mystic Falls, she knew they would never want her back. She had betrayed them. She had run away with the bad guy. With her best friend's ex boyfriend. Whether she liked it or not, all she had was Stefan now.

"You're _not_ a lost cause," she said firmly. "Don't say that. You are going to be okay, I'll make sure of that."

"Nobody can help me," he replied. She moved across the room and sat next to him on the bed. She grabbed his wrists, gently pulling them away from his face.

"Look at me," she ordered. He lifted his head slowly, his green eyes meeting hers. She could see the pain there and she wanted to hold him again. "I am not giving up on you. You can make it through this. You taught me how to survive, I owe it to you to help you." Stefan let himself be comforted by the girl in front of him. The girl who was still soaking wet because she hadn't left him to get changed yet. Her eyes were so beautiful. It was something Stefan had always loved about her. They were easy to get lost in, and they told you exactly how she was feeling. Right now they were telling him that he was loved, that he was worth fighting for.

"I…" he trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say. He leaned forward and covered the short distance between them, he placed a soft kiss on her cold pink lips. He lingered a moment before he pulled back, trying to figure out her reaction. She didn't move or speak, but her eyes sparkled and he took that as a good sign. "Your lips are freezing," he told her, lifting his hand to her face and running his thumb along her bottom lip. Her eyes dropped to his lips and she had the overwhelming urge to have him kiss her again.

"They are," she agreed.

"I can help with that," he told her, and leaned forward again. He placed one, two, three gentle kisses on her mouth before she moved her hands to his face, holding his lips to hers. She shivered violently and realised that it wasn't just her lips that were freezing, but the rest of her as well. She was still in her wet clothes.

"Go get changed into something dry," he told her. She opened her mouth to protest but his lips on hers silenced her. "I'll… be… fine," he told her between kisses. "Just get changed and come back here."

She nodded and moved to her room. She changed quickly, pulling her hair into a bun and throwing her wet clothes into a hamper. She came back to Stefan's room in under a minute and found him lying on the bed. She climbed onto the other side, slipping under the covers. He reached over and switched the lamp off beside his bed and took Caroline's hand in his.

"Goodnight Caroline," he whispered.

"Night, Stefan," she whispered back. And for the first time in a long time she felt hope. Maybe everything would be okay after all.


End file.
